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Elmer Söderblom on opportunity with Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings Elmer Söderblom & Todd McLellan, Jan. 21, 2025 in Philadelphia.

The Detroit Red Wings have a big draft pick under contract for two more years.

Elmer Söderblom, the team’s 6-foot-8 sixth-round pick from 2019, was locked up through 2026-27 at a $1.25 million salary cap hit.

He’s the third restricted free agent the Wings have signed this week, joining forward Jonatan Berggren (one year, $1.83 million) and defenseman Albert Johansson (two years, $1.13 million cap hit).

Called up in mid-January to provide a spark, Söderblom was used up and down the lineup and finished with 11 points in 26 games. He saw limited power play duty, but when he did, he used his big body to screen the opposing goalie and dig for rebounds.

Söderblom was coming off his entry-level contract. The Wings drafted him at No. 159 overall in 2019.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.

Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her books: “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of Hockeytown,” and “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.